Paul Drakeley - Dean MartinPaul is a singer, arranger, conductor and trombone player. Influenced by greats such as Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller, he studied the music at the University of Birmingham and soon went on to become one of the youngest Big Band leaders in England.
His band has won various prestigious awards and Paul is also responsible for the vocals in the band. The highlight of Paul's career was when his band was chosen to perform at a concert held at The Royal Albert Hall and he was asked to sing the Dean Martin classic "Volare" to over five thousand people. He was also honoured to be selected as a finalist in the prestigious "BBC Musician Of The Year" competition.
As a vocalist Paul has performed at events held in Bahrain, Dubai, Holland, Monte Carlo and other premier venues worldwide. As a result of his wide range of talents, he is in constant demand as one of The UK's leading swing vocalists; however he finds most enjoyment when on tour with The Rat Pack performing his acclaimed portrayal of Dean Martin. On hearing Paul's version of "An Evening in Roma" the late great Mel Torme commented "that was as close to my dear friend Dean Martin's vocal style as anyone will ever get" - Now that's style!